Voltage regulator



a. 24, 1935., F FRESE 241925681 VOLTAGE REGULATOR Filed Nov. 2, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec 24, 19%

J. F. FRESE ,@25 5$1 VOLTAGE REGULATOR Filed Nov. 2, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 24, 1935 VOLTAGE REGULATOR Joseph F. Frese, Baltimore, Md., assignor to Monitor Controller Company, Baltimore, Md., a corporation of Maryland Application November 2, 1934, Serial No. 751,238

2 Claims. (Cl. 171-229) This invention relates to voltage regulators of circular discs is arranged between the four adapted particularly for use in connection with rods, 3, 4, and 6, and rests upon the lower tubes generators driven at variable speeds from car 5 and 6 the upper tubes serving merely to pre axles and adapted to charge storage batteries. vent displacement of the discs by jarring or while Carrying out the invention, I provide a carbon the regulator is being handled. The carbon discs 5 pile which is connected in series with the shunt c and c at the ends of the pile are thicker than field Winding of the generator, spring-pressed the intermediate discs 0 and are secured to metal means for applying pressure to the pile and a terminal discs Ill and II, respectively. The termotor connected to the terminals of the generaminal disc or plate It has a rearwardly projecting tor armature for relieving the pressure on the pile arm [0 connected by a flexible conductor I 2 to a to increase the resistance in the field circuit of binding post 13 secured to and insulated from the the generator and thereby maintain a substanbase a, and the terminal disc or plate I I has a tially constant voltage at the armature terminals similar arm l l connected by flexible conductor l4 after the voltage has increased to a predetermined to binding post [5. value suitable for charging the battery. More A metal clamping disc I6 is secured to the terparticularly, the invention relates to the mountminal plate 10 and insulated from it by a disc of ing of the pile, to means for applying and relievinsulating material I1, and a metal clamping disc ing pressure to the pile at both ends simulta- I8 is secured to the terminal plate I! and insuneously, to certain adjusting features, and to lated from it by a disc of insulating material l9. means for preventing sudden movements of the The details of these connections are the same at r pressure applying and. relieving devices, the deboth ends of t e pile, a t o e a t e ht hand tails and advantages of which will be clear from end are illustrated in Fig. 4, Where it is shown the following specification. that the carbon disc 0' is connected to the ter- In the accompanying drawings, minal plate it by screws passing through the Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partially cut away, carbon disc and into the plate, and the clamping of the regulator; disc i6 is connected to plate I ll by screws 2| which Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. l; a i sul t d rO the C a p p Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1; The clamping discs I6 and I8 are movable Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Fig. 1; simultaneously in opposite directions either to Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the regulator; relieve or apply pressure to the pile by levers d Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 1; and e, respectively, which swing in vertical planes Fig. 7 is asection on the line 1-7 of Fig. 1, and, and are connected together at their lower ends Fig. 8 is a diagram of the circuit connections. by a link J- Referring to the drawings, a indicatesa suitable The lever e, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5, is base adapted to be attached to an upright supmounted on a pivot pin 22 which passes through port, so that the base will lie in a vertical plane, spaced lugs 23 and 24 projecting from the inner by bolts or screws passing through holes 1 in the side of the bracket b and has a forked upper corners of the base. Brackets b and b are seend pivoted to a lug it which projects outwardly cured to the upper part of the base near its opfrom the clamping plate I8. The lower end of posite ends by bolts 2, said brackets comprising the lever is pivotally connected at 25 to one end fiat plates which project forwardly from the base of the link J. The lever d, which is of the form in vertical planes. In the upper parts of the shown in Fig. 7, has forked arms 26 at its bracket are arranged two parallel metal rods, upper end connected by a pivot pin 21 to the arms 3 and i, spaced horizontally apart from one an- 28 of a yoke g which rests on horizontal surfaces other and below these are similar rods, 5 and 6, of spaced supports 29 projecting from the inner 5 spaced apart horizontally, but closer together face of bracket b. This yoke has a threaded than are the rods 3 and 4. These rods are surstem 39 which extends through an opening in rounded by tubes 3 4 5 and b respectively, the bracket and the stem is adjustably secured to of refractory insulating material, such as porcethe bracket by nuts 3| and 32. The lever d is lain. As shown in the drawings, the tubes are held thus pivotally suspended at its upper end in the in position on the rod by sheet metal cups 7 yoke and the yoke is adjustable toward and from inserted in the ends of the tubes and cushioning the carbon pile along the horizontal surfaces of springs Binterposed between these cups and cups the supports 29. Below the pivot pin 21, the 9 on the inner sides of the brackets. lever d is connected by a pivot pin 33 to a lug 34 A carbon pile C, comprising a horizontal series projecting from the central part of the clamping 'boss' 41 on the frame '7.

disc 16 and the lower end of the lever is connected to the link 1 by a pivot pin 35.

A flat rod h is connected at one end to the pin 35 and the other end of the rod is connected to a spring 36. The opposite end of the spring is connected to a threaded rod 3? which extends through an opening in the lower part of the bracket 2). A thumb-nut 38 is provided on this rod for adjusting the tension of the spring. The spring pulls the rod h to the left, and since this rod is connected to the lever 11 and also, through the link I, to the lever e, the tension of the spring will be applied to both levers. As the lever d is fulcrumed at its upper end and con-. nected to the clamping plate I6 intermediate its ends and the lever e is fulcrumed between its ends, both clamping plates will be pressed against the pile by the tension of the spring, and if the rod 7 is moved to the right, both levers will be rocked to relieve the pressure of the clamping plates against the pile.

The link is movable in opposition to the spring to relieve the pressure on the pile by a motor comprising a magnet M having a coil 39 and pole-pieces 4i] and ll and an armature 52 pivoted at its center on a fixed shaft 43 and adapted to rock between the pole-pieces. The magnet is supported by frame 7' of non-magnetic metal secured to the base below the carbon pile and having a hollow rectangular casing i which fits over the pole-pieces and to which the polepieces are secured by bolts 44. The stud or. shaft 63 is supported in the front side 45 of the casing i, where it is secured by a set screw 46, and in a A bell crank lever is has a sleeve 48 journaled on the stud 43, a part 48 of this sleeve extending through an opening in the casing 7" and being secured to the armature 42 by a pin 19, Fig. 1. 'A short arm 50 of the bell crank lever extends upwardly and carries a roller 5! which is adapted to engage a block 52 secured to the rear side of the link 1. A longer arm 53 of the bell crank lever is pivotally connected to a link 54, the upper end of which is connected to a piston 55 in a dash pot cylinder 56. This cylinder is suspended from a lug 51 projecting from the bracket 1), and has an adjusting screw 58 at its upper end for regulating the inflow and outflow of air to the cylinder.

When the motor armature moves from the position shown in Fig. 1 to a position in line with the magnet pole-pieces, the shorter arm of the bell crank lever bearing against the block 52 on the link 1, moves the link to the right in opposition to the tension of the spring 36 and causes the levers e and d to rock and lessen the pressure of the clamping plates against both ends of the pile simultaneously, and as the magnet loses strength, the spring 36 moves these several parts 7 toward normal position and the levers simultaneously increase the pressure at the ends of the pile. The air dash po't prevents'any sudden movement of the levers, which might be injurious to the pile.

As the magnet coil is of copper wire, the resistance of which changes with increase of temperature, a resistance coil 65 of much higher resistance and of wire having no temperature coemcient is placed in series with the magnet coil to cut down the current so that the resistance of the coil is only a small percentage of the total resistance in circuit and the temperature of the magnet coil is not greatly afiected by the current flowing through it.

In Fig. 1, 6i] and BI indicate terminals to be connected in circuit with the field of the generator and 62 and 53 indicate terminals to be connected across the armature terminals of the generator. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, terminal is connected by conductor 64 to binding post is 5 and thence by flexible conductor 12 to terminal disc H) at the right hand end of the pile. Terminal 6| is connected by conductor 65 to binding post l5 and thence. by flexible conductor I l to terminal disc 1 I at the left-hand end of the pile. 10 Terminal 63 is connected by conductor 61 to one terminal of the resistance coil 6'5, and the other terminal of said coil is connected by conductor 68 to the magnet coil 39, and the return connection 69 from the magnet coil is connected to 15 terminal 62.

In the diagram, Fig. 8, M indicates the motor of the voltage regulator, the coil 39 of which is connected to the terminals of the armature 10 of a generator G through resistance 65, and C 20 indicates the carbon pile connected in series with the shunt field ll of the generator. The charging circuit 12, indicated in heavy lines, extends from one terminal of the generator armature through normally open switch 14 and coil 15 of 25 reverse current relay N to the battery 13 andthence to the opposite terminal of the generator armature. The relay N cooperates with a contactor O to close the charging circuit at the switch 18 when the generator voltage reaches a30 pre-determined value and to open the charging circuit when the generator voltage falls below said value by reason of slowing down of the generator. The reverse current relay and its connections are described in my Patent No. 1,973,804, 35 dated September 18, 1934 and form no part of the present invention. I

The discs of the carbon pile, with the exception of the end discs which are secured to the: metal terminal discs and clamping plates, are 40 all supported by the lower tubular insulators 5 and 6*, which keep the discs in alinement. 'Pres sure is applied equally at both ends of the pile by the spring 36, and this pressure can be varied as desired by turning the thumb-nut 38, to ad- 5 just the resistance of the pile. As the voltage at the terminals of the generator armature rises with increased speed of the generator, the armature of the voltage regulator applies pressure to the lower ends of the levers d and e in opposition 50 to the tension of the spring 36 and the levers operate to reduce the pressure on the pile, thus increasing the resistance in the shunt field circuit of the generator and controlling the voltage of the generator accordingly. To compensate for wear on the faces of the carbon discs composing the pile which may result from any cause, such as vibration of the car or arcing between thediscs, the yoke g in which the lever d is fulcrumed may be adjusted toward the pile, and this will 60 cause the clamping plate 16 to be similarly adjusted. By providing means at both ends of the pile for applying and relieving pressure on the carbon discs the discs throughout the pile loosen from one another more readily than they would if the discs wereheld between a fixed stop at one end and a pressure applying means at the opposite end.

What I claim is: v

1. In a voltage regulator, a suitable base, a 70 carbon pile supported in horizontal position thereon, clamping members at the ends of the pile, vertically arranged levers, onelever pivotally supported between its ends and having its upper end connected to one of said members and the other lever pivotally supported at its upper end and connected intermediate its ends to the other clamping member, a link connecting the lower ends of said levers, a spring for moving said link in one direction, to apply pressure to the pile, and a motor for moving said link in the opposite direction to relieve pressure on the pile.

2. In a voltage regulator, a suitable base, brackets projecting from the base, horizontally arranged rods extending between said brackets and having refractory coverings, springs interposed between the ends of said coverings and said brackets, a carbon pile composed of loosely arranged discs resting on edge on said coverings, similarly mounted rods and coverings above said first mentioned rods for preventing displacement of said discs, spring-pressed means for applying endwise pressure to said pile and a motor for actuating said means to relieve pressure on the pile.

JOSEPH F. FRESE. 

